Episode 1441 (24 April 1997)
Synopsis Sonia steals her trumpet back and goes off busking again. She posts Clare as a lookout, but still manages to be picked up by the police who take her back to the launderette for a good telling off from Carol. Her punishment is no pocket money for a year and grounded indefinitely. Robbie also tells her that she's stealing food from the mouths of the real buskers who are doing it because they are homeless and penniless. Huw and Lenny quiz Robbie about Pat's drive for Mr King, and say that he doesn't like new drivers, because they understand the situation, and did she say anything. Robbie says she was annoyed at having to wait an hour and a half outside a hotel. Dot has stayed the night at Nigel's and Clare isn't impressed because she whinges about everything and is always complaining. Nigel tells Dot all the gossip - Grant and Sharon splitting up because of Sharon and Phil, Carol and Alan in her house, etc. He asks Pauline to come over to try to find out what is up with Dot, and she tells Dot Arthur died and asks about Nick pointedly. Dot says he's in Edinburgh in computers. When Nigel compares notes with Pauline he notes the discrepancy that she told him it was Glasgow, and thinks this must be part of the problem. Pauline says as long as Nick is far away, it's fine. Joe puts tin foil inside a baseball cap and is wearing it to protect himself from "them". Sarah tries to try his cap but he becomes terrified and offers to "make" her one too. He tells her that he is only telling her about it, and can't tell his mother because they will put him back in hospital and on the pills which alter his mind. He asks her not to tell anyone, but she immediately rushes off to tell Lorraine. Lorraine says that Joe is fine and everyone is talking about it because of the X-files. Sarah says he really believes it though, but Lorraine just dismisses her and says Joe is fine. Pat comes into the Vic later and asks Lorraine if Joe is OK, because he was acting very strangely earlier today, and Lorraine says he's fine now that Grant has given him a job. Pat asks if that's for her benefit, and warns her off Grant. Lorraine says naively she has it on her terms - that is why she moved out - and she knows what she is doing. Pat says if she manages to keep Grant in line she'll be the first woman to do so. Pat has a go at Barry about Mr King, and says he is practically on the payroll of a personal services boss, and this is supposed to be a respectable business and they don't need customers like that. Barry promises to "look into it." Nigel persuades Dot to stay for tea and creates a little farce for her benefit. He cooks burnt toast and burnt baked beans and Clare keeps on looking at him in amazement, as he dishes it up, saying that Clare is better at "this cooking lark" than he is, but they get by. Dot says no offence but she can't eat that, and she is sure they can do better, what does he have in the fridge. She cooks a fry-up of bacon and eggs and Clare is wisely quiet but later asks Nigel what about his diet and training? She then goes and phones Sonia to chat about how weird it all is. Nigel meanwhile has got Dot to cook and wash up, and then he tells her how much she helped him when he lived with her, and says he wants to help now and knows something is wrong. She admits it, and says Nick's girlfriend got fed up with him taking all her family credit and wages and left with the child, then it was just her and Nick, and he stole all her savings and everything in the house of value, so she has a grotty bedsit, and no friends, and has to survive on her pension. Nigel asks her why she doesn't come back and she says everyone will laugh at her - they all told her she was making a mistake and they were right of course. She says she has not much, but she does have her pride. Nick is in prison for drug dealing now so she's very lonely. Nigel says she must come back to Walford where she has so many friends, and he won't tell anyone about Nick, she can say he's in Scotland, it's not far from the truth. Nigel says she can stay with them as long as she likes. She insists she would pay her way, as she won't accept charity, and Nigel says of course. Lorraine comes home and Joe's music is blaring out. She turns it off and Joe is just lying on the floor completely vacantly staring into space, and nothing she can do will make him move. Credits Main cast *Sonia Jackson - Natalie Cassidy *Clare Bates - Gemma Bissix *Nigel Bates - Paul Bradley *Carol Jackson - Lindsey Coulson *Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney *Huw Edwards - Richard Elis *Lenny Wallace - Desune Coleman *Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard *Joe Wicks - Paul Nicholls *Sarah Hills - Daniela Denby-Ashe *Lorraine Wicks - Jacqueline Leonard *Barry Evans - Shaun Williamson *Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement *Dot Cotton - June Brown Category:Episode Category:1997 Episodes